Means for handling and transporting freight



Y K. E. QANFIELDY 1,921,605

' MEANS -FOR HANDLING AND TRANSPQRTING FREIGHT Original Filed NOV. 12,1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 8, 1933. K. E. CANFIELD 1,921,605

MEANS FOR HANDLING AND TRANSPORTING FREIGHT Original Filed Nov. 12,1928. 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (7; CI! G Aug. 8, 1933. K. E. CANFIELD MEANS FORHANDLING AND TRAN3PORTING FREIGHT Original Filed Nov. 12, 1928 5Sheets-Sheet 3- NVENTQR.

K. E. CANFIELD 1,921,605

Original Filed Nov. 12, 1928 5 She'ets-Sheeg 4 IN VEN TOR.

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Aug. 8, 1933..

mums FOR HANDLING AND wmnsronwme FREIGHT' Aug. 8, 1933. l' K. E.CANFIELD 1,921,605

MEANS FOR HANDLING AND TRANSPORTING FREIGHT Original Filed NOV. 12, 19285 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNIT D STATES MEANS FOR HANDLINGAND TRANSPORT- ING FREIGHT Kendall E. Caniield. New York, N. Y.

Application The invention relates to a novel and useful method,apparatus and mechanism for handling and transporting freight and moreparticularly to such an apparatus and mechanism adapted to provide asimple and eflicient means for effecting mutual transfers ofcargo-containing units between railway freight cars and otherfreightcarrying vehicles.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, construction, arrangements,combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together withthe description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus illustrating a preferredembodiment of the invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1;I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the flat car and containers shown. in Fig.1, as taken from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bottom of a container, looking frombeneath, and illustrating the relation of the container rollers to theretaining tracks;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed transverse vertical section of themechanism shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. .2, parts being shownin elevation;

Fig. 6 is a detailed enlargement of a transverse vertical sectionlooking to the left along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a detailed enlargement of a transverse vertical sectionlooking to the left along line 7--'7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a detailed enlargement of a transple and practical method andapparatus for November 12, 1928, Serial No. 318,813

Benewedlnne '18, 1932 handling freight, in either car-load or less thancar-load lots, by destination without the present degree of combinationwith other destinations of line shipment.

The invention is also directed to providing a standard cargo-containingunit which is adapted to cooperate with different vehicles and differenttypes of vehicles, said unit'being interchangeable with other standardunits and transferable I transporting unit, without necessitating bodilylifting of the unit with cranes or other mechanism, and for rigidly butdetachably anchoring the unit container to a vehicle to permittransportation of the container on the vehicle as an integral partthereof.

' By the invention, a unit cargo container normally comprising thecargo-containing box or casing of an automotive truck, van, trailer orother road vehicle is detachably mounted on the said vehicle for easyremoval and direct transfer with its contained cargo to the top of arailway flat car where it is rigidly and detachably anchored to form aunitary portion of the railway car. The flat car is adatped to receiveand retain a plurality of such containers, preferably disposedlongitudinally of the car and together forming a composite freight carhaving separately loaded and separately removable containers.

The container is adapted to be transferred from one vehicle to the otherwithout being bodily lifted, being preferably equipped with rollers orwheels for moving the container in a direct path across a connectingsupport from one vehicle to the other. The vehicles are .provided withretaining devices for receiving and detachably anchoring the containerwhereby it will form an integral transporting unit with the vehicle towhich transferred, the present, preferred embodiment of the inventionproviding the vehicles with sets of track-ways to cooperate with therollers on the container, the trackways having retaining recesses forreceiving the rollers and supporting the container independently of therollers, and having further removable fastening means for preventingmovement of the container relative to the vehicle during travel. a a

While the invention as above described is particularly adapted tofacilitate the direct transfer of a container from a truck or othervehicle to aflat car, the invention is equally adapted to permit removalof a container from a truck to a warehouse for intermediate storage, thecontainer to be later loadedontoa flat car or other receiving vehicle.Furthermore, .while the container is described as being removable from atruck to a flat car or warehouse, 'it will be understood that theprinciples of the invention may be realized in transferring containersfrom any vehicle or support" to another, as from one truck or railwaycar to another, from a warehouse to a truck, from a dock to a ship, andin a number of other obvious and useful applications. However, forsimplicity of description and as illustrative of a preferred embodimentof the invention, the invention will hereinafter be describedas appliedto cargo transfers and carrying between an-automotive truck and arailway flat car, although it will be understood that this embodimentand nomenclature are illustrated and exemplary of the invention, but arenot restrictive thereof.

Other features of the invention will be first set forth in connectionwith the following detailed description, but it will be understood thatthe foregoing general description and the following detailed descriptionas well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are notrestrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the invention, illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawings, the invention is shownas applied to the transfer of a cargo container from an automotive truckto a railway flat car.' As embodied, an automotive truck or van of anyknown or common type is shown, having front wheels 1, rear wheels 2 andany suitable form of truck chassis 3, the driving mechanism comprisingthe motor 4, propeller shaft 5 and any suitable type of transmissionmechanism, as shown comprising a worm gear transmission having ahousing6, and adapted to drive the rear axle shaft 7.

In accordance with the invention, a unit cargo container is provided, asembodied comprising the box-like structure 10, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2 adapted to normally form an integral part of the truck and actas the cargo-containing portion thereof. The container is preferablysubstantially similar to the bodies at present in use on the ordinaryfreight-transporting van or truck and is provided with a top or roofportion 11 and preferably with a pair of hinged doors 12 and 13 adaptedto form the rear closure for the container when mounted on the truckbody, the doors preferably opening from the rear center line outwardly,being hinged at 14 and 15 to the sides of the container. The doors arepreferably of a size to comprise substantially the whole of the rear endof the container and may be securely fastened together by any suitablelocking means 16. By means of the doors, the container may be rapidlyand easily loaded and unloaded while on the truck.

The railway car to which the container is adapted to be transferred andsecured, as embodied, comprises an ordinary or standard railway fiat cararranged in parallel juxtaposed relation to the truck and having a fiatdeck surface 20 supported on longitudinally-disposed channel members 21and 22. The described deck structure of the flat car is mounted on thetrucks 24 and 25 by means of the usual truss structure 26, resilientlysupported upon the trucks by springs 28 and 29. The flat car may havethe usual coupling devices 30 and brakeoperating devices 31 at eitherend thereof. As

shown, the car is mounted on the usual standard, gauge trackwaycomprising rails 32 supportedby ties 33.

The invention provides means for transferring the container to and fromthe automotive truck or other vehicle. As embodied the container isprovided with a plurality of supporting wheels orrollers'40, 41, 42 and43, preferably disposed substantially at the four corners of the bottom44 of the container. The rollers are preferably supported for freerotation, whereby the container may be moved laterally in a bfoadsidedirection, that is, in a direction perpendicular to its length, therollers being suspended from the bottom 44 of the container bywedge-shaped blocks or shoes, 45, 46, 47 and 48; said shoes having .afiat horizontal upper face 49 secured to the bottom 44 of the containerby countersunk cap bolts 50, and in addition by bolts 51 which extendupwardly through suitable flanged lip portions 52 on the shoes and aresuitably fastened to the container bottom. The shoes may be of anysuitable material and preferably of cast or mild steel for resistingpossible shocks and wear to which they may be subjected.

As embodied, the rollers 41 etc. are supported by the shoes to rotatefreely therein. Referring to the structure of roller 41 and shoe 46 asconstituting an exemplary embodiment of this structure, to which that ofthe other shoes and rollers is substantially-identical, the shoe istapered downwardly and inwardly from both ends to form a substantiallytriangular member. The roller is adapted to project slightly below thelowest point of the shoe, while being substantially encased by the shoe,the interior of which is cut away at 53 to form a 'substantiallycylindrical housing for the roller. The roller 41 is supported forrotation about trunnion shaft 54 which is loosely journaled in thelateral depending portions 55 and 56 of the shoe 46. The trunnion shaftmay be securely held against rotation in its journal seats by means of aset screw 57, screw-threaded upwardly in member 55 to bear against thetrun nion shaft 54. The roller is preferably provided with rollerbearings for permitting 'free rotation about the trunnion shaft,comprising a bushing 58 forming a close fit about the shaft 54, abearing ring 59 which is tightly fitted to the inner surface of thecylindrical roller 41 to rotate therewith, and intermediate rollers 60.

The above-described roller assembly provides for an easy dismounting,and servicing of the rollers. Upon loosening of the set screw 5'7, thetrunnion shaft 54 can be forced out of its journaled seat in the members55 and 56 through the bushing 59 and the roller thus easily taken apart,serviced, and as easily replaced.

Connecting and supporting means are provided, cooperating with therollers on the container for effecting transfer of the container fromthe truck'to the fiat car and vice versa. As embodied, a pair of tracks65 and 66, of a Width somewhat greater than double the width of a shoe,and having lateral upwardly extending flanges 67 on both sides thereof,areadapted to form a connecting trackway or bridge between the truck andthe flat car deck, whereby the container may be progressed on itsrollers across the space between the two vehicles. The tracks 65 and 66are preferably adapted for limited angular movement at either end,whereby the tracks may properly connect the car and truck when thevehicles are at various levels.

- As embodied, each track is cooperate with an apertured supportingmember 69 suitably secured at the edge of the truck or flat car, as thecase may be. The pin 68 is preferably tapered and less in diameter thanthe aperture throughout its extent to permit a rocking movement of thepin in the aperture '70. The upper surface 71 of the support 69 is alsorounded, to admit of angular movement of the track.

While the hereinbefore described supporting and connecting mechanismcomprises the present preferred embodiment of the invention, many otherequivalent structures may be employed for the same purpose. Forinstance, a ball and socket joint or other angularly movable connectionmay be provided in lieu of the pin and slot joint described.

In certaimcases it may be desirable to provide the apparatus withconnecting tracks which are extensible in length in order to accommodatethe apparatus to situations where it is not possible to establish auniform space between the vehicles. On the other hand, the connectingtrackways may sometimes be dispensed with or intermediately supported,as, for instance, when the vehicles are spaced apart by 'an interveningplatform or the like. It will be understood, however, that in all casesan apparatus is provided whereby the container may be moved directlyfrom one vehicle to the other without requiring bodily lifting of thecontainer, and without necessitating any movement thereof except asimple lateral displacement in substantially a straight line.

A preferred modification of the vehicle-connecting tracks is shown inFigs. 10, 11 and 12. As embodied, the track is extensible in length,being composed of the separate lengths 150 and 151, which are adaptedfor telescopic sliding to permit shortening and lengthening of theconnecting bridge or trackway. As shown in Fig. 12, length 150 isadapted to surround and support track 151, having its flanged sides 152curved inwardly and then downwardly to form supporting sheaves for theside flanges 153 of the interiorly disposed track 151. The inner end oftrack 151 is beveled or tapered as at 154, whereby the junction betweenthe surfaces of the tracks is smoothed out to prevent jarring of therollers and containers.

A modified form of connecting joint between the bridge tracks and thevehicle tracks is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. As embodied, the supportingmember 69 is provided with a curved recess or socket 155, havingdownwardly and inwardly inclined side edges 156. Cooperating curvedmembers- 157 project from the bottom ends of the tracks and are adaptedto fit loosely in the corresponding sockets 155, having their sidestapered to conform to the recess. By virtue of this arrangement, theconnecting trackways'can be used when the vehicles are at considerablydifferent levels and at varying distances apart.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for moving the container from onevehicle to the other. In the form shown, the truck is provided with acable drum 75 mounted on a stub shaft '76 projecting from the forwardseat structure of the truck and having a cable or rope 77 adapted to bepassed around suitable directing pulleys or sheaves 78 and '79 andthereafter fastened to the container. The pulleys 78 and 79 may besuitably positioned on the side of the flat car by means of detachableclamping brack ets 80. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cable may beattached to the container by passing a loop 81 therearound, or,preferably, as shown in the modified form of Fig. 9, the container maybe provided with one or more eyes 82, with which hooks 83, attached tothe cable, are adapted to cooperate. The cable drum 75 may be drivenfrom. the motor of the truck, suitable driving and clutching mechanism(not shown) for cffecting' said driving connection forming a part of thetruck equipment.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided for receiving andretaining the container on theflat car, whereby the container becomes anintegral part of the composite railway transporting unit. In the presentembodiment, the deck of the'flat car is provided with a pair ofreceiving and supporting tracks 85 and 86 disposed transversely of thefiat car deck in parallel relation and spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to that of the length of a container. As shown inFig. 5, each track comprises a fairly heavy metal casting having sub-'stantially flat upper surfaces 8'7 andside mem- 'bers 88. The track maybe provided with a plurality of strengthening and supporting ribs 89,the surface of the track preferably lying from six inches to a footabove the flat car .deck, although it will be understood that thesedistances are merely descriptive and in no wise restrictive of theinvention. The side members 88 of the tracks preferably extend anappreciable distance above the upper surface 87 to form side flanges 90.The t'rackways are preferably securely, but detachably fastened to theflat car deck 20. For this purpose the trackways are apertured at theirends to receive bolts 91, which extend through a deck 20, and channelmembers 21 and are made fast by lock nuts 92.

It will be noted that, in the embodiment shown, the outer ends of thetracks 85 and 86 are provided with a shoulder portion 93, whichserves'as an abutment for the connecting ends of tracks 65 and 66, therounded surface 71 and supporting member 69 for said tracks 65 and 66being cast as an integral end portion of the tracks 85 and 86. As aresult of this construction, a smooth connecting 'pathway for therollers is formed at the junction of the bridge tracks 65 and 66 and theretaining tracks 85 and 86.

Referring nowto the mechanism for retaining the container on the flatcar in a travelling position, the retaining tracks 85 and 86 areprovided with a plurality of recessed or depressed portions forreceiving and holding the shoes and rollers of the container in a secureand substantially'rigid relation to the fiat car. Referring to theembodiment shown and particularly to Figs. 2, 5 and 6, the track 85 'isprovided with two substantially V-shaped depressed or recessed portions95 and 96,.formed by the tracksurface 87 being depressed to forminclined surfaces 9'land 98, the size and shape of the depressions beingsuch as to conform substantially to the outlines of the shoe members 46etc. of the container, whereby the shoe member 46, for instance, isadapted to rest with practically its entire inclined surfaces or facessupported by and in contact with the depressed surfaces 9'1 and 98, asclearly shown in Fig. .5. Furthermore, the width of the depression,considered ina direction longitudinally of the flat car, and as shown inFig. 6, is slightly greater than that of the thickness of the shoe 46,whereby the shoe is adapted to drop easily into the depression and beheld securely therein.

It will be clear that when the shoe 46 has moved into the depression 96,the inclined faces 9'7 and 98 of the depression bear against and supportthe shoe by a firm wedge-like contact throughout substantially theentire extent of the inclined faces of the shoe. The shoe, andconsequently the container, are thus firmly and practically rigidly heldfrom cross-wise sliding or motion relative to the retaining track, whilethe wall member 88 and the interior wall member 99, formed in thetrackway adjacent'the depression, serve to prevent any movement of theshoe and the container longitudinally of the flat car.

The supporting and shoe-retaining recesses on the retaining tracks arealso adapted to support the shoes and container independently of thetransferring rollers, whereby the weight of the container is nottransmitted through the rollers when the container is secured fortravelling po sition on the flat part. As embodied, the lower ends ofthe members 97 and 98 of the recess are spaced apart and bear againstthe floor 20 of theflat car so as to provide a clear space 100 below thecentre of the shoe and the axis of the roller 41. As hereinbeforeexplained the lowermost portion of the shoe 46 is curved or flattened,whereby the roller 41 projects downwardly for a short distance belowsaid lowermost portion of the shoe. As a result, the flattened lowermostportion of the shoe does not contact with the faces 97 and 98 of thedepression and the roller 41 is likewise supported above the surfaces9'? and 98 and the deck 20, to hang freely in the space 100. A drainageand servicing hole 100' may be provided in the deck 20, at the bottom ofthe depressions to prevent the collection of water therein.

The invention provides a novel and extremely practicable mechanism forpermitting the container to move across the flat car surface whereby thedifferent rollers and shoes on the bottom of the container willautomatically move into their respective corresponding recesses when thecontainer is in the desired position transversely of the flat car, said.mechanism automatically serving to prevent any roller or shoe fromdropping into an intermediate depression in the retaining tracks beforethe container has reached said correct transverse position. As embodied,the shoes and rollers on either end of the container bottom are mountedto be slightly out of alinement with each other in a direction parallelto an end of the container. As will -be clear from Fig. 4, the shoes 45and 48 on the left-hand side of the container are spaced in from theends 101 and 102 of the container a distance somewhat greater than thecorresponding spacing of shoes 46 and 47.

Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the recesses 53 of therespective shoes 45 and 48 are slightly eccentric to the central line ofthe shoes, whereby the rollers 40 and 43 are supported farther away fromthe edges 101 and 102 respectively than would be the case if saidrollers were hung in the centre of their respective shoes.. It will befurther noted that the con- 1 verse is true of the rollers 41 and 42,said rollers being hung relatively nearer the edges 101 and 102.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be clear that rollers 40 and 41, as a resultof the above-described mounting, are adapted to travel in parallel,

non-overlapping paths, roller 40 travelling in a path entirely on theinside of a line 105 and roller 41 in a path entirely on the outside ofsaid line 105.

The same is true of the paths of travel of rollers 42 and 43, withrespect to tracks to cooperate with the more closely spaced rollers 40and 43 and their respective shoes, and the recesses 96 being spaced nearthe outer edges of their trackways to receive and cooperate with themore widely separated rollers 41 and 42 and the shoes 46 and 47.

It will be clear from the description and drawings that when thecontainer is moved along the tracks 85 and 86 to rest on the flat carthe forward or left-hand rollers 40 and 43 will travel along the surface87 of the tracks and entirely avoid the parallel depression 96. Uponreaching a median position across the flat car, the forward rollers 40and 43 will reach the depressions 95 and start to roll down the inclinedsurfaces 98. At the same time, the rear or righthand rollers 41 and 42will come to their correspondingoutlying recesses 96 and also roll downsurfaces 98 therein.

Due, however, to the wide angle of incline of the recesses and shoes,the inclined faces'of all the shoes will very soon contact with theinclined surfaces 97 and 98 and the shoes will slide or be eased intothe recesses with practically no jolting or jarring to the container. Ashereinbefore described, as soon as the shoes become seated in theircorresponding recesses, the rollers will hang free above the deck of theflat car and no bearing force will be transmitted through the rollers.Furthermore, the shoes will be securely held from horizontaldisplacement either longitudinally or laterally of the fiat car.

In addition to the hereinbefore described mechanism for rigidlyretaining the container on the flat car, the invention provides meansfor securely and detachably anchoring the container to the flat car,particularly for the purpose of preventing vertical movement of thecontainer and lurching or swaying of the container due to possiblesliding or rocking of the shoes intheir recesses. A preferred form ofsuch means is shown in Figs. 5 and 7, wherein a tapered pin 110 having ahead 111 is adapted to securely hold the shoe 46 to thetrackway 85, thepin being adapted to pass through conforming tapered apertures 112, 113and 114 in the solid portions 88 of the trackway 85 and the solid shoe46 respectively. It will be clear that the pin is adapted to passthrough the shoe 46 to one side of the roller cavity 53 in the shoewhereby the pin has a practically entire all-metal housing formed by thetapered apertures in the track and shoe.

The track may be further provided with thickened portions 115 and 116for forming additional strengthening material about the pin.

The pin is adapted to be locked in fastening position, having aplurality of .transverse holes 117 longitudinally spaced apart near thesmaller end of the pin and adapted to receive a cotter pin 118, thespacing of the holes 117 making the pin 110 adaptable for variousthicknesses liar of track and shoe, so as to always provide a tight fit.The pin 110 may be permanently attached; to its cooperating track bymeans flat car, whereby a composite freight car is obof a chain 119secured to the pin head 111 at 120 and to the track at 121. It will beunder,- stood that each of thefour cooperating recesses and shoes isprovided with a corresponding locking pin 110 as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the mechanism for retaining and securing the containerto the automotive truck or other vehicle whereby the container forms anintegral unitary portion of said ve hicle, it may be stated forbriefness of description that the container-retaining and securingmechanism on the truck or other vehicle is preferably and usually asubstantial counterpart of that already described for retaining andsecuring the container on the\ fiat car. Briefly, the automotive truckmay be provided with a pair of retaining tracks 125 and 126, mountedcross-wise of the truck chassis and corresponding in all essentialparticulars to the herein- -container units 130 and 131,"disposedlongivious modifications may be provided in lieuof the preferredstructure shown and described. 1 Referring now to the general layout ofthe tained, consisting of a, plurality of separately loaded and mountedcontainer units, as embodied the flat car is provided with a pluralityof sets of retaining and securing tracks 85 and 36. As will be clearfrom Figs. 1 and 3, the flat car is adapted to receive and retain threebefore-described, tracks 85 and 86 on the fiat between adjacentcontainers.

car. Said tracks 125 and 126 are provided with retaining recesses 127and 128 comprising the equivalents of recesses and 96 and adapted toreceive and retain the container shoes and rollers in the manner alreadydescribed.

Said tracks 125 and 126 may be further pro-. vided with looking pins andwith recesses 127 and 128, corresponding to the pins and recesses on theflat car. Usually and preferably the tracks 125 and 126 will comprise apermanent portion of the truck chassis, being thus adapted to receiveand retain any unit container which may be transferred to the truck fromthe flat car or other container-retaining vehicle or support, althoughit will be understood that said tracks 125 and 126 may also betemporarily and detachably mounted on the truck forthe purposes stated.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the container is adaptedfor rapid any easy transfer from a truck to a flat car or vice versa, tobe secured on the flat car or truck as a unitary cargo-containingportion thereof. To transfer the loaded container from the truck to thefiat car, it is only necessary to lay the tracks 65 and 66 between thetwovehicles, apply the motivating cable 77 to the container, withdrawthe locking pins and the cable 77 will easily pull the shoes out of therecesses 127 and 128 and the container will roll across the connecting65 and 66 and into the receiving recesses 95 and 96,where the lockingpins may be driven in and fastened to the shoes, the cable unfastenedand the container will be ready for transportation as a unit of thefreight car. The space between the top 20 of the flat car and the bottom44 of the container, which is usually about one foot in depth, permitseasy access to the pins 110, whereby a workman may readily attach anddetach the container shoes to the retaining tracks.

Although as described in the present preferred embodiment of theinvention, the con tainers are preferably mounted on retaining tracks orthe like, said tracks being usually extending Each container ispreferably provided with bumpers 136 at either end'near'the top thereof,lvo preferably extending across the entire end of the container andbeing composed \of a resilient metal band similar to an automobilebumper. Said bumpers'136 are adapted to cooperate with correspondingbumpers on the adjacent containers to facilitate guiding of thecontainer on and off the flat car and to prevent damage due to apossible rocking of the containers against each other duringtransferring of the containers and during travel on the car.

The tops or roofs 11 of the containers are preferably slightly slopingfor shedding water and are provided with a central footboard 137longitudinally of the container whereby the brakemen may walk along thetop of the composite freight car and step from one car to another justas is done at present with the ordinary railway box cars.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the containers areprovided with means whereby they may be readily unloaded while remainingon the fiat car without necessitating removal of the containertherefrom, the unloading being carried on in the same manner as that ofan ordinary box car. As embodied, each container has a side door 138 oneach side, the doors being mounted on rails 139 and 140, whereby thedoors may be slid open in a manner similar to the ordinary box car door.The doors on each side preferably open from the same end of thecontainer, so that when they are both open a clear opening extendsstraight across the container through both walls. The door is preferablyof a width comprising substantially one-half of the *container length,whereby the container may be rapidly unload ed from the flat carentirely independently of the other containers. The doors 138 may belatched or otherwise held in closed position as The invention inits'broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown anddescribed but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theaccompanying claims without departing from the principles of theinvention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:- 1

1. A mechanism for handling and transporting freight including incombination a vehicle,

a cargo container equipped with rollers, tracks on the vehicle forcooperating with the rollers to permit moving the container on and offthe vehicle, the tracks having recessed portions for receiving therollers and supporting same out of contact with the vehicle and memberson the container for engaging the tracks to support the weight of thecontainer independently of the rollers, and means cooperating with saidrecessed portions for detachably anchoring the container to the vehicle.

v '2. A mechanism for handling and transporting freight including incombination a vehicle, a cargo container having supporting shoes withrollers for rolling the container on and oh the vehicle, recessedmembers on the vehicle for receiving the shoes and rollers, the shoesbeing adapted to cooperate with the recessed members to preventnon-vertical movement oi the container.

3. A mechanism for handing and transporting freight including incombination a vehicle, a cargo container having supporting shoes withrollers for rolling the container on and 01'! the vehicle, recessedmembers on the vehicle forreceiving the shoes and rollers, the shoesbeing adapted to'cooperate with the recessed members to preventnon-vertical movement oi the container relative to the vehicle, andadditional means for preventing relative vertical movement of thecontainer.

4. A mechanism for handling and transporting freight including incombination a vehicle, a cargo container equipped with a plurality of1,sa1,eos

rollers, a corresponding plurality of recesses on the vehicle forreceiving the rollers and rigidly retaining the container on thevehicle, means for guiding a given roller only to the recesscorresponding to said roller, a second vehicle, having recesses arrangedin the same relation with respect to the container rollers as those onthe first vehicle, and means for rolling the container from one vehicleto the other. I

. 5. A mechanism for handling and transporting freight including incombination a vehicle, a cargo container equipped with a plurality ofrollers, a corresponding plurality of recesses on the vehicle forreceiving the rollers and rigidly retaining the container on thevehicle, said recesses and rollers being arranged in staggered thedevices on the first vehicle, and means for transferring the containerfrom one vehicle to the other.

KENDALL E. CANF'IELD.

